Passing White Daisies
by Olivine
Summary: Artists are outcasts in a perfect society where self-expression is treason. But age-old traditions are questioned when she befriends the most conspicuous Artist of all. A story about being yourself. AU fujisaku. COMPLETE FINALLY!
1. Part I

Passing White Daisies, a story by Olivine

Part I

Section XXIV

In this section, we focus on the few stubs of civilization that have impeded our society from achieving the perfection we constantly strive for. Of the five great nuisances, one group stands above the rest in hindering our flawlessness. Professor Hiroto of XXX University states, "They are nothing more than the dents in the glorious armor that coats our society." For as long as society can remember, they have been outcasts.

They are too tall, too skinny, and we presume, too ugly. They partake in the queerest, most terrible activities, screaming curses in song, relishing temptation in one another, and eagerly capturing vulgarity to the point of extreme. Layered in pathetically rebellious, ripped clothing and sickeningly hideous ink splattered-wounds on their skin, they stand out like overgrown, unwelcome weeds.

Their dangerous perception and mentally ill minds are twisted, and they have no concept of ethics or morality. In CX972, the XXX government deemed them all lunatics in the infamous trial, _Civilian vs. Artist_. Their desire to overthrow the balance that society has so strenuously worked to achieve was made manifest in the aftermath of the trial, gaining popularity and nearly corrupting an entire country (see section VIII).

These human subspecies were hunted during these times of conflict. However, in the modern era, society came to realize that we were not the barbarians of the Salem Witch Trials. President XXX graciously passed Order DXVII, ending the hunts and effectively leaving them alone.

Yet, their vengeance and hatred were not satisfied until they could selfishly spread their profanities, forming terrorizing strikes, giving speeches, painting, writing, and singing out. Fortunately, we have intervened all but a few times (see next section) and have secured the protection of our society from the danger of these delinquents. After the infamous, necessary massacre at Nagasaki in CXX21, they went into hiding. Today, their creations and markings are not tolerated by the majority of society and almost all of them have been wiped out, though there are still small gatherings of their supporters alive today.

Would you call them deranged, or perhaps primitive? Yes and yes, but for the sake of purity, we give them a proper name.

They are the Artists.

* * *

Ryuzaki Sakuno lifted her sagging head from her Social Studies textbook and rubbed her eyes. The section that had been assigned for homework was incredibly dull. Everyone knew the basics about the Artists; why did they need to read about them in detail?

She glanced around, momentarily distracted by the voices ricocheting off the gymnasium walls from the rather rowdy basketball game below. Everyone in the "home" sector sported gray and brown, the spirit colors of her school; two colors which did not match well, in her honest opinion. No one else had ever voiced out this dreadful color scheme however, so she kept this complaint to herself. She unwillingly blended in all too well, with her brown-tinted hair and eyes, paired with her matching gray sweater and skirt uniform.

"Sakuno!"

A pair of well-pampered hands suddenly enveloped her eyes before Sakuno shook them off and turned around. It was her friend, Tomoka, a fellow cheerleader at their school.

"The game's almost over and we need to practice our final routine afterward! What are you doing all the way up here in the bleachers?" Tomoka asked.

"I was just studying for Social Studies," Sakuno paused. "You seem happy, Tomoka," she observed.

At this, her friend's grin spread from ear to ear. "Well, of course! It's because Fuji's playing right now." She sighed and clutched at her heart, her eyes wandering to said-object-of-adoration.

"Fuji?" Sakuno followed Tomoka's line of vision to the game below them, though it was rather obvious with a single glance which player Fuji was; he was the one scoring all of the points.

His name was Fuji Syuusuke, and he was an upperclassman who had a natural talent for sports, or so Sakuno had heard. She didn't doubt it now. He had uneven, abnormally long blond hair, especially for a guy. That was what had made him stand out at first. People had warned him that his hair was borderline Artistic, but Fuji hadn't been disturbed. He had insisted that he had no time to cut it. Strangely, although people questioned it, there was something about the way his bangs fell into the electric blue eyes underneath that hushed everyone, compelling them to tolerate the style.

He was different.

Sakuno nudged Tomoka a little and grinned cheekily, "You're turning red, Tomoka."

Tomoka grinned. "Yeah, well, he's hot. Bite me." She sighed again. "I don't see why you're not turning red with me, makes me almost stand out."

She received a playful, "Oops, sorry," and a whack from a Social Studies book.

Tomoka continued, on a sudden epiphany. "Hey, why _aren't_ you blushing? Don't tell me you don't find him good-looking!"

"I just," Sakuno lolled the words around on her tongue, trying to find the right ones. "I just want more than a pretty face. You know?"

Utterly lost, Tomoka offered, "A pretty body?"

"No... Well, yes, but," Sakuno bit her lip and smoothed over the cover of her textbook. "I wouldn't want someone who's stupid, or who doesn't laugh, or someone who's mean. Does that even make sense?"

Tomoka tilted her head, mouth agape, but seemed to give up trying to comprehend her friend and laughed it off. "Not at all! You know, you're so weird sometimes. But that's what I love about you," she said, patting Sakuno's back affectionately.

Sakuno smiled and kissed Tomoka's cheek. "And I love you too, Tomo."

Sakuno didn't know why she kissed her; it was completely unnecessary and rather odd. She could understand why Tomoka had flinched a bit and made up a hasty excuse to leave. But she had felt compassion for her friend, so her body had automatically responded. It didn't seem so wrong in theory, but she knew how dangerous self-expression was.

She looked up and suddenly, her eyes met with those of Fuji. The fluorescent blue was electric in every way, like a fire she couldn't look away from, despite the great distance between him and her. She was helpless as the crackling cerulean orbs curiously probed deep into hers, and she felt exposed, naked.

He had seen her kiss; she was sure of it, and she felt embarrassed. All of the putrid brown and gray sweaters in the room began to filter out of her vision as the brilliant blue took over as the dominant hue, brighter than anything she had ever seen. Time stopped. How was he doing this? Rationally, Sakuno knew only magicians could place spells on you, but magic didn't exist. Rationally, she knew that he couldn't stop her from looking away, and though part of her dazed mind was screaming to break eye contact, she couldn't. She was completely frozen in place.

And then he blinked and looked away, breaking the connection as if nothing earth-shattering had occurred. Everything seemed to thaw. People started moving again. Sakuno realized that her mouth had been hanging open and she quickly shut it, glancing around in embarrassment. But immediately, her eyes returned to him, watching as he packed up. The game had ended.

Fuji adjusted his sports bag on his shoulder, turned around, and walked out of the gym. He was so tall.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks InnerCherry for inspiring me to continue with this story! I would have never gone back to it if it weren't for her. I appreciate of your support very much and it doesn't go unnoticed, despite the huge absence I've taken.


	2. Part II

Passing White Daisies, a story by Olivine

Part II

Sakuno found herself absent-mindedly tracing a circle within a circle inside a shell on her biology notes, before realizing in horror that she had been idly doodling Fuji's eyes. Even worse, had she been caught drawing or anything remotely Artistic, she would have never lived it down. Cheerleaders were the school's absolute role models, and her reputation would have been totaled.

She was situated behind a desk in the school library, flipping through a large anatomy tome to find the parts of the pig. The thought of dissecting pig fetuses in Biology brought on a wave of nausea. Already, the scent of formaldehyde and the vacant stare of the pickled mammal assaulted her mind. She had been wise to forgo lunch and brush up on the pig anatomy so she would arrive to class with an empty stomach and knowledge of what to expect.

As she flipped a page with a dry crinkle, Sakuno's stomach growled in protest, evidently unsatisfied with her decision to pass up lunch. Mortified by the loud squelching sound, Sakuno glanced around, hoping to God that no one had heard. Fortunately, the library was empty.

Her sigh of relief quickly inverted into a gasp when she heard the unmistakable sound of someone coughing lightly, as if trying to cover a laugh. What a nightmare. Her reputation was about to take a suicide bomb.

Rearranging her face with as much innocence as she could muster, Sakuno turned towards the sound, ready to deny everything. To her utter horror, the persecutor who stepped out was none other than Fuji, who was rubbing his long hair in a gesture of fatigue.

Oh no. Of all people--! This was not a nightmare; this was hell.

Sakuno's face flamed up against her will. What would she say?

Luckily, Fuji spoke first, "It's Ryuzaki, right?"

Sakuno hesitantly smiled, treading carefully through the dangerous waters. "Yes, and you're Fuji. It's nice to meet you," she bowed, more to stall for time while her face cooled than anything else.

Sensing that the introductions were over, Fuji's held-back smile broke out. "Hungry?" He grinned cheekily, as Sakuno died a little on the inside.

But she couldn't outwardly show her extreme desire to assume a fetal position; she had an image to uphold. She laughed lightly, "Yes, but I had to skip lunch today to catch up on some Biology notes on the pig body." She wasn't able to fully cover up her grimace.

"Because you aren't comfortable doing dissections?"

"How did you—?" Sakuno looked up and found Fuji staring down at her intently, his crystal blue eyes boring into her eyes the instant they met.

He towered over her and up close, she could see specks of aquamarine in his eyes. He really was quite good looking, with his platinum blond hair almost the same tone as his pale skin, magnifying the intensity of his eyes tenfold.

Suddenly, she realized with a start that she was with Fuji, the prodigy and notoriously good looking upperclassman who had caught her kissing Tomoka. Sakuno's face reddened again as she wondered whether he still remembered the incident.

"Excuse me for asking," Sakuno felt ridiculously awkward and inferior as she blurted out, "but what are you doing in the library during lunch?"

Fuji looked surprised. "I always come to the library during lunch," he smiled. "It's easier this way to avoid all of the undeserving attention I get."

"Undeserving?" The last time Sakuno checked, Fuji's miraculous athletic victories for the school definitely merited the attention he got, if not more.

Fuji looked directly into Sakuno's eyes and answered, "I don't believe that I should get attention for doing something that I don't love."

Sakuno's eyes widened slightly. He was acting so serious. When had this conversation become so solemn? "Y-you don't love basketball?" Sakuno asked slowly, feeling as if she were reading from some imaginary script.

His eyes grew soft as he smiled, "It's not quite my thing."

"What is your thing?" She asked before clamping her hands over her mouth, shocked at her audacious curiosity.

However, instead of being disturbed by her lack of formality, Fuji laughed, "I can't tell you." When Sakuno started again, he added, "But let me help you with your dissection problem."

He took out a simple black pen from his pants pocket, and gently lifted Sakuno's hand. Transfixed, she didn't flinch away until the pen tip touched the back of her hand.

"What are you doing?" She hissed, recoiling as if burnt.

"Relax, Ryuzaki," Fuji reached for her hand again with the light touch of a feather. "Do you trust me?"

"I'm…not sure," Sakuno answered truthfully, eyes wide with shock. She had never met anyone like him before. No one would ever dare to touch her hand unless they were already well-established in a relationship. She couldn't stop the sudden rose staining her cheeks.

"Sakuno," he looked into her eyes, addressing her familiarly by her first name, as if reading her mind, and gave her a sincere smile. She found it disarming. "I mean no harm. Just trust me and close your eyes."

Stunned, she found herself obeying, shutting her eyes. She felt the dreaded pen on her hand again and the coolness of the felt against her skin as it traced an invisible design. Curiously, she opened one eye to peak, but the other flew up in astonishment as well.

"Wh-What is it?" She asked Fuji, who looked up and creased his lips into a grimace.

"You weren't supposed to look yet," he eyed her in disapproval. "But I guess I can't blame you for not trusting a stranger. And don't worry, it's just a flower."

She looked down at the design again on her hand. It wasn't just a flower; it was a bloom of floral lines and shapes from a small, ornate center point. The leaves protruding out of this magnificent little species were bejeweled with diamonds and seemed to sparkle as Sakuno moved her hand back and forth. She was amazed that such an incredible flower had come out of a simple black pen, and from Fuji's own hand, no less.

"And here," Fuji held out a closed fist to her and dropped something into her now lavish hand.

It was candy. Sakuno couldn't remember the last time she had had candy. It was forbidden by society after it had been discovered that the sweet temptation could rot one's teeth.

"I can't accept this," she said, handing it back to Fuji. What was he doing with it anyway?

"Just eat it. It's candy," he reassured her.

She pushed it back to him. "I know that, and I also know that it's banned."

Before she could react, he had taken the small, colored drop and stuck it in her mouth. He waited until the saccharine sensations hit her tongue before asking, "Doesn't it taste good?"

"Well," she didn't know how to argue back. "Yes…"

"It's candy and it tastes good. It's not harming anyone. I see a law banning it almost as crazy as the people who follow that law." Fuji looked into her eyes. "Don't you think so?"

Sakuno's head was swirling with the sweet taste of cherry on her tongue as well as a foreboding knot in her stomach, warning her that she was doing something illegal. Yet, everything that he had said to her made sense, and she wasn't sure how to protest anymore. In fact, she wasn't sure if she wanted to protest anymore.

"Do you do this often?" She asked him.

He frowned, before grinning again. "What, talk to pretty girls?"

Sakuno's eyes grew wide as her face turned red. "No! No, I mean, break the rules!" He wasn't allowed to say things like that to her, especially when they weren't officially romantically involved! He wasn't allowed to carry candy around, let alone stuff it into other's mouths! What was wrong with him?

Fuji's grin returned to a frown. He sighed, before rubbing his temples. "I thought you were different, Ryuzaki."

Somehow, despite their terrible first encounter, despite their lack of familiarity, despite their ten-minute relationship, his words cut into a foreign area above her left breast, making her spine suddenly run cold. "Wait, Fuji…"

No sooner had the words left her mouth did the metallic ring of a bell resound through the library. Lunch was over and it was time for Biology.

"Listen, Ryuzaki," he started with urgency. "Haven't you ever thought something was off about our society? That you're living life through someone else's expectations? That your life is planned out for you?"

Sakuno thought about it for a moment, scrunching her eyebrows together, before replying, "Yes, I have briefly."

Fuji grinned slightly, seeing a ray of hope, and Sakuno couldn't help but be relieved as well. "Have you ever wanted to do something about it?"

"Yes," Sakuno said, drawn into his tall, skinny figure, reassured by his bright cerulean eyes that this boy—this enigma—knew what he was talking about.

"I can show you a life with a slightly different standard. Will you let me?" He held out his hand. "Do you trust me?"

Sakuno hesitantly raised her hand. His serene countenance yet urgently strained eyes made her believe that he truly cared about her; she trusted him. "Yes, but right now?" She asked, faintly fearful of what her Biology teacher would say about her being late in the back of her mind. However, her classroom seemed light years away, so isolating was the bubble surrounding only her, Fuji, and his outstretched hand.

He smiled. "Yes, right now. Unless you'd rather dissect those pigs?" He nodded at the images of eviscerated pigs flipped open on the textbook lying innocently on the desk.

Sakuno made a face before grasping his hand. She looked up into his grinning eyes and realized with disbelief that she was skipping class with Fuji Syuusuke.

It felt surreal.


	3. Part III

Passing White Daisies, a story by Olivine

Part III

Fuji led her through his house, up the winding circular stairs, which creaked under their combined weight, and lightly steered her towards a large arched doorway at the top.

"This is my mother's studio," he whispered.

"What kind of studio?" Sakuno asked, whispering as well, as if scared of disturbing the ambient serenity in the air.

"Ryuzaki—or rather, Sakuno," Fuji's electric blue eyes held onto hers and he steadied her shoulders with his hands as a comfort, but also to prevent her escape. "It's an art studio."

Before she could protest or even register the shock, he pulled her through the threshold. Only then did she let out her light gasp, but he knew with one look at the awe in her face that she would do nothing to resist. Colored glass orbs blown perhaps accidentally into mismatched shapes and figures hung perfectly coordinated from the high ceiling, reflecting the musky light filtering in through the dusty windows. Brightly colored paintings covered the walls, depicting obscene images of nudity, violence, and crudity, so much so that Sakuno had to look away quickly. Fuji laughed softly and brought her face back to the paintings gently.

"Look again," he murmured.

She glanced up with fearful eyes at them and willed her eyes to not tear up from the primal vulgarity.

There was a painting of a fair woman, bare from the waist up, twisted into branches of thorns and roses, staring deep into the eyes of a dark-skinned woman draped in pristine white cloth. They seemed to be very much in love, despite the physical agony and differences in their appearances. Their love seemed to transcend mere infatuation boundaries; it seemed to crawl into the territory of forbidden lust and yet, it was the purest look of adoration Sakuno had ever seen.

She breathed in unsteadily, with something inside of her racing as an unfamiliar thrill and inspiration overtook her entire body. She left Fuji behind as she stepped forward towards the gruesome painting, holding her hand out to touch it.

She turned back to him to see him smiling at her in satisfaction. "Is this art?" She asked in a hushed voice.

He only nodded and came up behind her, taking her hand in his. He led both of their hands to the left breast of the fair-skinned woman. He could feel her flinching beneath his fingers but he held onto her firmly.

"This is where her heart is," his breath brushed past Sakuno's ear and suddenly, all of her senses seemed hyper-sensitive. His feather-soft hair stroked her cheeks while the course material of their gray school uniforms scraped against her shoulders.

She had never felt so alive at that moment and she turned to look into Fuji's face.

"You're an Artist," she stated.

His face broke into a grin as he looked down, shaking his head in barely suppressed laughter. When he looked back up at her, his eyes were brimming with glee. "Very true," he admitted. "Will you tell anyone?"

"I might," Sakuno smiled. She felt as if she had lived her life only half awake—never realizing the full extent of happiness, or sadness, or love that she could have experienced until now. She would be crazy to keep this wonderful enlightenment to herself.

"Excellent," Fuji smiled back. "I'll be expecting a revolution soon, Sakuno."

* * *

"What's that, Sakuno?" Tomoka asked, more than curiously staring at the floral design on Sakuno's hand. Fuji's bright eyes and the colorful glass of the studio flitted across Sakuno's mind and she smiled at her friend.

"It's a flower."

"I've never seen anything like it before," Tomoka cooed, her eyes huge as she traced the design with her finger. "It's unfinished," she observed, looking back up at Sakuno but stopped when she found her friend gazing back at her with a foreign fiery look in her eyes. "S-Sakuno?"

"I can finish it myself," Sakuno said, smiling at the inner Artist that had finally come out in her; she had been practicing drawing all night. Grabbing her simple, black pen, akin to that of Fuji's, she began making light strokes on the back of her hand.

"What are you doing?" Tomoka hissed, afraid the teacher would hear them. "You're drawing! Like—like an Artist! Stop that!"

"It's okay, Tomoka. I'm just finishing Fuji's flower. It's self-expression," she added when Tomoka's eyes grew huge.

"Fuji's?"

Sakuno thought she heard something close to hope in Tomoka's voice but before she could respond, a deep voice called out.

"Miss Ryuzaki."

Sakuno glanced up to see her teacher looking directly at her from the front of the room.

"Please come up here."

She looked at Tomoka for support, but found that her friend refused to meet her eye, instead staring straight down at her desk in shock, all signs of acceptance gone.

Sakuno pushed her chair back with a scrape and slowly walked up to her teacher. A cheerleader had never been called out in class before, and all of the students in their class watched with curiosity and fear. As Sakuno walked up to her certain death, they realized that her gray sweater sleeves had been rolled up, revealing swirls of intricate designs of flowers and semi-nude women all over her forearms.

A cheerleader had been drawing. Their world was collapsing.

"Miss Ryuzaki," their teacher started once Sakuno stood in front of him, with her back to the class. "Yesterday, you did not appear in Biology class, and today you are writing on your skin. This is absolutely unacceptable behavior, especially from a school role model like you. There will be very strict punishments for this," he paused to emphasize his fury. "I will expect to see no less than one thousand lines of apology on the black board behind me by tomorrow morning. Am I understood?"

Sakuno's insides cringed, and yet she could not comprehend the justice behind her punishments. "I don't understand," she murmured softly.

"Pardon?" Her teacher's eyes widened with shock and then with livid anger.

"I don't understand," Sakuno stated with conviction, meeting her teacher's eyes, which she found lifeless compared to those of Fuji. "What did I do wrong?"

"You insolate child!" Her teacher raised his palm and with a clean snap, connected it with Sakuno's cheekbone, knocking her to the ground. "You will write the lines because you have broken the law!"

While she could clearly hear her teacher scream above her, all Sakuno could see was blinding white light. Fuji's smiling face materialized in front of her. "_It's just candy,_" he said, holding out a cherry drop. "_I see a law banning it almost as crazy as the people who follow that law._"

With his voice ringing in her ear, Sakuno stood up unsteadily. "I was making Art," she explained slowly.

She lifted her hand and forearms as if to prove her statement to her teacher, before turning to display the artwork to the class. "I did not harm anyone in the process," she enunciated defiantly. "There is no reason to ban Art."

The class seemed to recoil from the dark ink patterns on her skin. There was a moment of silence, or perhaps of revelation, Sakuno thought triumphantly. She scanned over the room, resting on Tomoka in the back, who slowly closed her eyes and looked down.

"Miss Ryuzaki," her teacher whispered hoarsely behind her, as if in capitulation. "Please," he rubbed his nose bridge between his fingers and pushed the intercom button. "Please turn around, and put your arms down."

Sakuno smiled and obeyed.

* * *

There was a light knock on the classroom door before Fuji poked his head in. To his surprise, none of the girls squealed adoringly at the sight of him and none of the boys acknowledged his presence. In fact, all of the students in the classroom looked rather dead, as if their last remaining hope had been drained from their very being.

The only person who seemed unaffected and who greeted him cordially was the teacher standing in front of the room.

"Mr. Fuji," he smiled broadly. "How may I help you?"

"Professor, may I speak with Miss Ryuzaki?" Fuji asked respectfully. He glanced around the room, but couldn't find Sakuno's face.

He missed the slight hardening of the teacher's smile before it became polite again. "I'm sorry, Mr. Fuji, but I'm afraid Miss Ryuzaki has been transferred to another institution and will no longer be joining us in this class."

Fuji's eyes widened slightly before settling down solemnly. It had happened all over again. He had liked her too. He bit his lip before nodding.

"Thank you, sir."

As he walked out of the classroom, he almost missed the wide-eyed, stricken look of terror a girl in the back of the room gave him, her hands trembling while clutching onto a familiar simple, black pen. On the paper in front of her were scribbled the words, in shaky, fragile characters, "THEY TOOK HER".

* * *

**A/N:** Aiight, that's it folks! Sorry if the ending is a bit abrupt, but I hope you enjoyed the story nonetheless :)

See you next time!


End file.
